Tuesday, October 14, 2008

An eighty-three-year-old retired librarian, a twenty-year-old college student and a diary written by a woman more than three hundred years ago converge to form a beautiful tapestry of love, forgiveness and yes…mercy. Susan Meissner’s latest novel, The Shape of Mercy, is a poignant look back at the Salem witch trials through the lens of two modern women who have found a life-changing truth among the choices made by an innocent woman accused of witchcraft.Mercy Hayworth’s seventeenth-century diary becomes the link that binds Abigail Boyles and Lauren Durough together and causes them to re-examine their own hearts and life-choices as never before. Will this journey make them stronger, or will it shatter them completely?

Once again, I am left breathless, somehow changed and deeply challenged as I close the pages of my latest story. Once again, I have been introduced to an author whose writing is new to me and I am astounded that I never read her work. Once again, someone has transported me to a time and place so real, so important, that I feel like I have had something significant introduced into my heart and mind that leaves me somehow…better. The Shape of Mercy is a phenomenal story, and if I could, I’d make it required reading for everyone I know. The characters are so real, so sad, so much in need of the love and understanding of someone who accepts them and cherishes them just as they are.

The Shape of Mercy explores relationship in many ways. It uncovers truth about Lauren’s relationship with her dad that is not unlike the truth every believer must come to in order to accept Christ’s salvation as our own. The story reveals truth about Abigail’s self-imposed guilt and the choices she made as a result of trying to atone for something that was already forgiven. The Shape of Mercy teaches all of us that we have the choice to love all of those around us as Christ loved us, and that when we do that we become both the recipient and the giver of a beautiful reality….mercy.

Don’t miss this book!! Buy a copy, share a copy with a friend, donate a copy to your local library….it’s that good!! And a special gift for my blog visitors….leave your name and contact information, and I will draw a winner for a FREE COPY of this incredible story!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego. Find out more about her at www.susanmeissner.com.

I was blown away with the paragraph of how this book would leave me feeling, the after affects. At the beginning of that paragraph, it said "I am left breathless, somehow changed and deeply challenged as I close the pages of..." and continues for several sentences. WOW. Sounds like a book I'd love to read, to take it with me for days and weeks and more, to change me for the better. Please enter me! Thanks.Pam Williamscepjwms at yahoo dot com

Disclaimer

I just wanted to state clearly here on my blog that the books I review are provided to me in exchange for my opinion and thoughts. I am a member of two blog alliances and I work directly with publicists and publishers at their request to review a variety of Christian fiction and non-fiction books. I receive no compensation other than free copies of the books to read, and when a give away is offered, that copy of the book is also provided by the publisher for that exact purpose.

I give my opinions both positively and negatively and will continue to do so as time permits and as I am able. I do this because I love to read and I love to share my thoughts with others who love good books and Christian stories.